Lumiwood is a forest of giant bioluminescent mushrooms. The Shimmer Grove at the forest's heart is home to the Glitterwings, butterfly-like fey creatures whose wings trail glowing stardust, ruled by their queen. On the forest's edge, an alchemist named Fizzlewick studies the forest from his tower. His apprentice Pip found a Glitterwing cocoon in the forest and brought it home. A cocoon removed from the grove slowly crystallizes anything it touches, and Pip is now turning to crystal. The only cure is stardust freely given by a willing Glitterwing. Stardust taken by force has no healing power. The crystallization will reach Pip's heart by dawn. A poacher named Sable plans to capture the queen.
Convince a Glitterwing to share its stardust and bring it back to Fizzlewick's tower before dawn.
Absent-minded old alchemist with singed eyebrows and a mushroom-cap cane. Has studied Lumiwood for thirty years. Frantic about Pip and blames himself.
Fizzlewick's twelve-year-old apprentice. Crystal creeping up his legs, frightened but trying to be brave.
Poacher in leather gear, armed with nets, sedative darts, and wing-clamps. Competent and dangerous. Has reached the grove twice but the swarm drove her off. Needs a group to distract the swarm while she nets the queen.
Fey creature the size of a large cat, iridescent wings trailing stardust. Proud, protective, hostile to outsiders because of the poaching. Will share stardust with those who prove they care about her forest.
The heroes arrive at Fizzlewick's tower at dusk to find him in a panic. Pip lies on a workbench, crystal creeping past his knees. Fizzlewick gives the heroes a vial and a map of the outer trails. He warns them: a poacher has been trapping in the forest, and the queen does not welcome outsiders.
The trail into Lumiwood is littered with hidden snare traps. A glowing elk-like creature is tangled in a snare, bellowing in pain, its cries attracting territorial fungal beetles. The heroes must deal with the beetles while watching for traps.
The heroes find Sable's camp with trapping gear and a caged Glitterwing, its wings clamped shut. Sable offers to guide them to the grove, secretly planning to net the queen while they distract the swarm. The heroes can work with her, free the captive Glitterwing (which can guide them to the grove), or slip away with her notes.
The approach to the grove passes through a ring of mushrooms that release disorienting spores. Glitterwing scouts attack anyone blinded by the spores. The freed Glitterwing can lead the heroes through safely.
At the grove, the queen demands to know why outsiders have come. The heroes must convince her they came to save a life. The freed Glitterwing, if present, vouches for them.
Sable arrives and springs her trap: a weighted net at the queen, sedative darts at the swarm. The heroes must stop Sable and protect the queen. If Sable captures the queen, the heroes must free her before Sable escapes into the forest.
Dawn is approaching. If the heroes protect the queen, she fills the vial with fresh stardust. The heroes must race back before the crystal reaches Pip's heart.
